In the Wings
by jacksparrow589
Summary: While staking out a ball, Havoc and Hawkeye have a fun little chat. Royai very much implied. Oneshot.


**In the Wings**

"You _sure_ you wouldn't rather be down there?"

Riza sighed. "Yes, Havoc, I'm sure. As wonderful as it is to just dress up and have fun, military functions are…" She hesitated, not wanting to use any word that would offend.

"Stiff?" suggested Havoc.

Nodding, Riza took another look down at the floor. "He'd better behave himself," she murmured. "I know he'd rather not have to be flattering and kissing up, but really, he can cover a yawn better than that!"

Havoc smiled. "I think he's doing that just to annoy you. You did turn him down, after all. He'd rather be on stake-out, too. Well, anywhere else but the floor."

"I did apologize. You saw it!" Riza knew she should probably check her next statement, but spoke her thoughts, anyway. Who was Havoc going to tell? "It's not like he couldn't get anyone else."

"I can't tell who you're angry with: him or you." Havoc laughed quietly. "I think it's a bit of both. And you're probably still sore over what happened at that ball for the ambassador from Aruego. What was his son's name again?"

"Miguel." Riza pronounced the name as though she was talking about sewage.

"Ah, yes, Miguel!" In a perfect imitation of Miguel's accent, down to the rolled r's, Havoc bowed his head at Riza and asked, "My dearest Miss Hawkeye, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?"

Riza couldn't keep the half-grin, half-grimace from her face. "I accepted only to be polite. The man had no rhythm whatsoever, and his idea of a dance was more of a good long groping session. If he wasn't the ambassador's son, I'd have had his hands off me faster than they'd been on."

Laughing again, Havoc told her, "Roy was just itching to change out his gloves. He was the one who came up with our ingenious plan to rescue you from Miguel's evil… _clutches_."

"Ingenious—is that what you call it?" Riza asked incredulously. "It's the oldest trick in the book, and he probably only fell for it because he'd been drinking!"

Havoc shrugged. "But it worked—you can't deny that."

Riza gave up. "No, I suppose I can't."

FLASHBACK

_Somehow, Miguel had managed to steer them out onto a balcony. Riza didn't know how the man had gotten under the misapprehension that she wanted to be alone with him, but she was getting angry. She knew that has the ambassador's son, he would use power to make her stay, so she had to go about freeing herself diplomatically._

_But how?_

"_Excuse me, sir, but your father would like to speak with you now." Roy's anger was barely disguised._

"_My father? What does he want with me?" Miguel narrowed his eyes, but was still clearly having trouble focusing._

_Roy faltered for a moment, but Havoc swooped in quickly. "He didn't really say. We are of little importance in the grand scheme of things, after all."_

"_Indeed." Miguel seemed satisfied. He turned to Riza. "I will come for you later, Miss Hawkeye. I promise. Until then…" Miguel placed a kiss on Riza's hand as Riza tried not to flinch._

_As soon as he was gone, Havoc burst into laughter as Roy seethed. Riza sighed and shook her head. "If he gets his hands on me again, please put me out of my misery."_

_Roy's hand immediately went to the pocket where a spark glove was. "Gladly. How do you like your men? Rare, medium, well-done, or _en flambé_?"_

"_Charbroiled, please." Their eyes met, and they had to smile._

_After a moment, Roy asked, "I wouldn't blame you for declining after that, but I was wondering if I might claim a dance or two with you?"_

_Riza nodded and took Roy's proffered arm. "I'd like that very much, Sir."_

PRESENT

"I had to come with him. Didn't really trust the Colonel to have sound judgment when it came to how to get that ass off you. I was pretty angry, myself," Havoc added. "But you have to admit, it was pretty funny watching him try to find his father. We had no clue where he was, either!"

"Was it? I didn't notice." Riza would have stopped there, but the glance Havoc shot her was heavy with implications. "I was trying to _avoid_ him, remember?"

"Sure, sure. Whatever you say." Havoc was quiet for a moment. "He saw you two later on, though. Asked me where you were, and I told him I didn't know, but he caught sight of you right then. He was pretty jealous. A dance or two? More like the rest of the night!"

Riza bit her lip. "Well, it kept him away, didn't it?"

Havoc grinned and shook his head. "I know you'll never say it. Don't worry—none of it leaves this room. I gotta find some way to amuse myself, though."

"You have an odd definition of 'amusement'," Riza informed him.

"To each his own." Havoc shrugged. "Shouldn't they be wrapping up about now?"

Riza stretched in place before looking down. "Yes. I suppose we should be calling it a night, too."

"In a hurry to leave? Someone waiting for you?" Havoc teased.

Deciding to call his bluff, Riza smiled oh-so-innocently and said, "As a matter of fact, yes." As Havoc's jaw dropped, her smile morphed into more of a smirk. "Well, I had to find _some_ way to amuse myself."

Footsteps sounded on the stairs to their hideout. Havoc and Riza froze.

"Just me, don't worry." Roy stepped into view. "You can go now."

"Yes! Freedom!" Havoc grabbed his things. "G'night."

Roy and Riza wished him good night as he left. For a moment, they stood in silence.

"I'm sorry, Sir. I really should have joined you."

Roy waved this away. "Nah. I know how to behave by now. I just choose not to. And honestly, I'm much less distracted when you're not there." He smiled at Riza. "What say I drive you back to your place?"

Riza grinned and slung her rifle over the arm Roy held out to her. "Thank you, Sir. I'd like that very much."

"Some thanks." Roy sighed good-naturedly. "See if I ever drive you home again."

"Oh, you will," Riza said loftily. "You're indebted to me, Sir. All those times I've saved your life…"

"Yeah, yeah. You know I'd drive you home, anyway. You'd do the same for me."

Riza nodded as they exited the building. "That I would, Sir. That I would."

**A/N: Meh. It's okay. I was actually cleaning when I thought of this. Not exactly conducive to writing down every little detail, but I got as much as I could. Ending it was the hard part.**

**My understanding of Aruego (or however you spell it) is that it's sort of a Spain type of country. Thus, Havoc's rolled r's in his imitation of Miguel. And thus the name Miguel to begin with.**

**Well, let me know how I did!**


End file.
